LTG H Steven Blum, chief of the National Guard Bureau, visits with preschool children in Apiay during an early July trip to Colombia to observe how the Air National Guard is supporting the Colombian Air Force's campaign against illegal narcotics. (Photo by Lt. Col. William Carle, National Guard Bureau)

COUNTER NARCO-TERRORISM
NATIONAL GUARD BUREAU
ARLINGTON, VA
26 JUL 04

Contact: Master Sgt. Bob Haskell, (703) 607-2647, Cell (202) 438-4115

By Master Sgt. Bob Haskell
National Guard Bureau

ARLINGTON, Va. - A child's wooden chair, which LTG H Steven Blum brought back to his Pentagon office from Colombia in early July, has reinforced the chief of the National Guard Bureau's resolve to continue supporting the fight against illegal narcotics traffickers in South America.

That means that Air National Guard units that fly twin-engine C-26 reconnaissance planes can expect to continue operations in Colombia and other Latin American countries in an effort to stem the flow of narcotics, such as marijuana and cocaine, which can ruin the lives of children in those lands as well as in the United States.

Blum breathed new life into the National Guard's commitment to support the Colombia Air Force's counter-narco terrorism operations while visiting the capital city of Bogotá and the smaller community of Apiay on July 6-9.

Blum spent an hour or so visiting with nearly 100 youngsters, ages 3-5, at a preschool in Apiay, about 100 miles southeast of Bogotá, during the final day of his trip.

"This is what we're talking about. These children's futures are the real reason we are here," Blum reminded his fellow travelers and Colombian officials who accompanied them. "We cannot fail them."

That's where Blum was presented the child's chair during his first trip to Colombia in the 15 months he has been the Guard Bureau's chief to see firsthand how Guard members are helping to wage the campaign against illegal narcotics as part of Operation Enduring Freedom and the global war against terrorism.

The National Guard has been conducting surveillance missions in Latin America since the early 1990s, but Air Guard units have been using their specially-equipped C-26 airplanes to monitor narcotics traffic only since late last year, explained Air Guard Lt. Col. William "BC" Carle, chief of the Guard Bureau's Federal Programs.

The C-26 crews report suspected narcotics activities that they detect to the Colombian Air Force, and federal officials deal with the situation in their country where the drug cartel has assassinated political leaders during a campaign of intimidation.

The 150th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron, currently manned by Air Guard members from Mississippi, Florida, New Mexico and Wisconsin, had the mission in Columbia during Blum's visit. Lt. Col. Jordy Wommack, the squadron's intelligence officer, arranged a tour to the forward operating location.

The Air Guard has sent other C-26 aircraft and personnel from Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, New Mexico, New York, Texas, the state of Washington, and Wisconsin on reconnaissance rotations to that part of the world, it was explained.

Blum and Brig. Gen. Charles Ickes II, the Air Guard's chief operations officer, met with William Wood, the U.S. ambassador to Colombia, and with Lt. Gen. Edgar Lesmez, the Colombian Air Force commander, and other Colombian Air Force officials.

But it was the children who he met in the tidy school in the valley community of Apiay and the small wooden chair that he brought back to the Pentagon that reminded LTG H Steven Blum why the National Guard's counter-nacro terrorism campaign is so important.